Sony's Reader Daily Edition Uses News To Combat iPad

A widely held perception of Sony is that this once-great technology brand is simply old-world and can't keep up with the likes of Apple. But the company's latest e-reader, the Reader Daily Edition, is meant to dispel that notion. BusinessWeek reports the new product "reaffirms that the parade hasn't completely left Sony behind, even in an Apple iPad world."

The new Reader Daily Edition is pretty slick for two reasons: First, It's Sony's inaugural wireless e-reader device, connected via AT&T's 3G network. Previous Sony readers required connection through a computer. Second, major newspapers such as the New York Post and The Wall Street Journal (both part of Rupert Murdock's News Corp.) will sell electronic subscriptions that are designed especially for the Reader Daily Edition.

While these editions aren't expected to compete with the highly graphical iPad applications, "they are better formatted and easier to read than much of what appears on the [Amazon] Kindle."

Sony's new device has a longer screen than the Amazon Kindle, and unlike both Kindle and Nook, the new Barnes & Noble e-reader, the Reader Daily Edition has a touch screen.

Still, Sony can't compete with the extensive online offerings of both Amazon and Barnes & Noble. And "the big question about the Daily Edition is whether it's worth the extra cost" – Daily Edition is priced $140 higher than the Kindle and Nook.

Sony is taking a calculated risk in the emerging e-book and e-news marketplace – hoping the Daily Edition is good news to consumers.